


Labels

by KathyRoland



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-07
Updated: 2011-05-07
Packaged: 2017-10-19 03:21:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/196303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KathyRoland/pseuds/KathyRoland
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All his life, people have labeled Sherlock, even Sherlock himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Labels

**Author's Note:**

> No idea why I wrote this. Really, I have too much homework to be doing this. But the story wouldn't leave me alone until I had typed up everything. Since I'm on a mini-break from my mid-term panic and homework studying of doom, I thought I would post it. If you notice any mistakes, please let me know so I can fix them.

When Sherlock was young, his parents would look at him and worry. His childhood was full of side long glances and appointments with different doctors.

“Autistic.” One doctor would murmur thoughtfully.

“Asperger’s Syndrome, definitely.” Another would declare.

“A complete psychotic sociopath!” One of his last nannies decreed shortly before she gave her entirely anticipated notice of leave.

His parents would listen to each professional and frown. They would look at Sherlock and worry.

Mycroft, when he was home from his school, would look and listen. If anyone had ever asked him, he would have simply said, “Sherlock. He’s Sherlock.”

And in Mycroft’s mind, that was the only label his brother needed.

But no one ever asked Mycroft.

Sherlock, for his part, would stare silently at the doctors, his parents, and his caretakers. He would sneer at the teachers in his school and verbally attack any child who dared to approach him. He never seemed to care about the labels that followed him around.

When he heard a new one he would simply tilt his head and consider it. If he determined it was interesting enough, he would research it.

He had no interest in being autistic, so he made certain to stare people in the eye when he interacted with them. In his mind this had the added benefit of disconcerting them as his gaze was so direct and off-putting for adults to see on a child. He kept expanding his verbal vocabulary, determined not to falter in his mental processes. He made certain to have no repetitive movements or rituals that could be noted by the typical person.

He did not go so far as to facilitate touch with other people, however. That, in his mind, was pushing the limits of what he was willing to do.

He found he didn’t mind the label of having Asperger’s Syndrome, however. While it was on the autistic spectrum, it was manageable to live with. When he thought of what he would have to change to get out of that label, he decided that he would allow it for a while. After all, he didn’t want to interact with others nor did he want to conform to societies standards. That label lasted until he started his A levels. Then he decided to go with the sociopath label.

He had a lot of fun with that label. After all, if they thought he didn’t care he would be freed him up from many obligations he would otherwise have had. In his head, he had a mental checklist:

Failure to follow social norms- check. Who cared about being boring?

Deceitfulness- check. It wasn’t his fault everyone else was an idiot that would believe anything.

Failure to plan- Well, that didn’t apply to him, but it would be simple to make people see his actions as impulsive.

Irritability- check. Again, it wasn’t his fault everyone else was an idiot.

Disregard for safety- check. He had a wonderful time with some recreational drug use. It really was quite the experience.

Irresponsibility- check. For as long as his family insisted on sending him money, he would insist on wasting it.

Lack of remorse- Why bother showing others your weaknesses?

All in all, that label stayed with him for years.

Mycroft was the only one who saw through that and would give Sherlock meaningful looks as if he thought his opinion would encourage Sherlock to change. It didn’t.

Then came the time that Mycroft decided to cut off his funds. In short order Sherlock found himself evicted and in need of a flat-mate.

He found one, and much to his surprise, he found that it was one that could keep up with him. In fact his new flat-mate not only could keep up with him, he seemed to fit effortlessly into Sherlock’s life.

His flat-mate didn’t seem to bother to label Sherlock. This perturbed Sherlock to quite an extent. What did John see when he looked at Sherlock?

If anyone had asked John this, John would have answered quite succinctly, “Sherlock.”

But no one asked John.

Then one day a man put an explosive vest on John and pointed snipers at John. The man told Sherlock that he would burn Sherlock’s heart out.

Sherlock believed him. So Sherlock shot the bomb.

In the end, John rescued Sherlock by knocking him into the pool and covering him with his body. The man who made the threats rescued himself and disappeared quickly before any emergency services could come. And Sherlock realized, as he held pressure over a bullet wound that John had taken in protecting him, that the label of sociopath would have to go.

Later that week, when John was finally released from the hospital with a stern reminder to stay away from bullets in the future he came home to find Sherlock knee deep in research.

“Do we have a new case?” he asked, surprised. He thought Lestrade was giving them some time off to recover.

“No.” Sherlock didn’t look up. “I’m looking for an accurate diagnosis.”

“Who are you trying to diagnose?”

Sherlock sniffed. “Myself.”

“You know,” John said with a smile. “You happen to have a valuable resource in a flat-mate. He seems to have years of study behind him and a wonderful label of Doctor attached to his name.”

Sherlock looked up sharply at John. “Well, what label would you put on me, then?” He demanded. “I no longer want to be a high functioning sociopath. I’m thinking of stepping away from the whole personality disorders in entirety. And I’ve already lived through Asperger’s Syndrome, so really don’t want to repeat myself. I want something new, perhaps manic-depressive?”

John hummed thoughtfully. “You do seem to fit some of the criteria for that.” He agreed.

Sherlock nodded decisively. “That’s it, then. I’ll be bipolar.”

He looked up to see John chuckling at him.

“What?” He demanded.

“Do you want my official recommendation for diagnosis?” John asked with a smile.

“Yes, yes- very well doctor.” Sherlock snipped. “What is your very vaulted opinion on my disorder?”

“You have a severe case,” John said, moving towards him, “A very severe case mind you, of being a human being.”

Sherlock snorted and crossed his arms. To his complete surprise, John stepped up to him and enfolded him in his arms. Sherlock thought he should stiffen and move away from the hug, but at the moment his body rebelled and relaxed into John.

“The only label you need,” John murmured, “Is Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective.”

Inexplicitly, Sherlock felt a sense of peace settle over him.

“I can work with that,” Sherlock said. He buried his face into John’s neck and willed the scene to stay forever in his memory.

John, it seemed, had his own level of genius. Idly, Sherlock’s mind went to wondering what diagnostic label would apply to his flat-mate. Research would definitely be needed.

**Author's Note:**

> The mental list Sherlock uses is taken off of the Diagnostic Criteria of the DSM-IV.


End file.
